Preparatory Course in English (PCE)

Preparatory Course in English (PCE) is designed to help students who have some fluency in using English but may have little confidence in using English academically. The course focuses on equipping students to be fluent and confident in using English, to the end that they can progress to tertiary courses taught in LSBF.

Students will build a solid foundation in speaking, listening, reading and writing as well as grammar, structure and vocabulary. Preparatory English and Academic English are the key themes of this course.

At the end of the course, students can expect to achieve a level of confidence and expertise in using English in an academic environment and in public.

Who is this course for?

Preparatory Course in English (PCE) is designed for students who want to learn English in Singapore, regardless of their current language level. Our experienced tutors will provide our students with a well-rounded blend of general, academic and professional English, making the programme particularly relevent if they aspire to work or study further in an English-speaking country.

Intakes

Every Month

Course duration

Course DurationClasses will be held 5 days / week (5 hours for each day)

Mode of course: Full Time

PCE Levels

Estimated duration of study including term break

Beginners

2 Months

Elementary

2 Months

Pre-Intermediate

2 Months

Intermediate

2 Months

Upper Intermediate

2 Months

Advanced

2 Months

*Approximation only. Course duration may vary due to public holidays, study and term breaks.

Pronunciation work is integrated with grammar and lexis. The focus is mainly on stress, weak forms and intonation, while the Workbook focus on problem sounds and word stress. A range of activity type are used, including discrimination exercises and dictation, and an equal emphasis is placed on understanding and reproducing.

Course Fees

$2,247 for Beginners - Advanced Level (inclusive of GST)

Special Offers

Stay tuned for more updates on special offers.

Course Assessment

Students will be assessed through the various components relevant to each level. Students will be assessed on their speaking, writing, listening, vocabulary, grammar and reading. In addition to the summative assessment, students will receive feedback through the use of formative assessments which may include in-class activities (tests, quizzes, presentations, written work, computer-based activities, individual and group work, field trips, homework and individual assignments).

PCE Levels

No. of Formal Assessments

Weighting

Beginners

2

50% each

Elementary

2

50% each

Pre-Intermediate

2

50% each

Intermediate

2

50% each

Upper Intermediate

2

50% each

Advanced

2

50% each

PCE will have weekly vocabulary quizzes which cumulatively represent 10% of the student's final grade.

PCE Beginners Vocabulary Quizzes represent 20% of the final grade. This is due to level's added material and time devoted to building up the student's repertoire of English vocabulary.

Each module will have a speaking assessment which represents 20% of the final grade. These are pair-speaking activities where students will be assessed on fluency, accuracy, and their demonstrated usage of various communicative skills and strategies.

Elementary and above modules will have 3 Reading Quizzes which cumulatively will represent 20% of the final grade. These quizzes will assess the student's ability to understand the main idea as well as subtext within the piece.

The remaining scores will be determined by the monthly test which will have the following components:

Grammar, syntax, and verb conjugation with various tenses

Essay

2 Listening prompts

PCE Levels

Assessment Weighting

Beginners

Vocabulary Quizzes (3): 20%

Speaking Assessment (1): 20%

Monthly Test (1): 60%

Elementary

Vocabulary Quizzes (3): 10%

Reading Quizzes (3): 20%

Speaking Assessment (1): 20%

Monthly Test (1): 50%

Pre-Intermediate

Intermediate

Upper Intermediate

Advanced

Student needs an overall passing mark in order to proceed to the next level. The passing grade is set at 50%. All the grades awarded will be reviewed and confirmed through the Internal Examination Board and this decision is final and not subject to appeal. London School of Business & Finance also reserves the right to bar students from taking the examination if student fails to achieve the minimum attendance rate stipulated by the school.

Mode of delivery

The programme is delivered via lectures and occasional field trips.

Certificate awarded

Upon completion of the programme, students will receive a Certificate of Achievement awarded by LSBF.

Entry Requirements

Students planning to pursue the tertiary pathway in the English medium. These would include those in the field of business management, marketing, international business, accountancy, finance, design and technology management.

Admission Requirement

The Preparatory Course in English programme is offered to both *local (Singaporean) and foreign students. All potential students are required to sit for a placement test to ascertain their proficiency levels before admittance into any of these courses.

To enter the course, students should have:

•IELTS 5.5 or

•An equivalent English Language Qualification or

•Completed LSBF PCE Upper Intermediate (or equivalent) or

•Achieved a satisfactory score on the LSBF placement test

The minimum age to join the IELTS preparatory course is 16 years.

Placement Test

The Internal and External English Placement Tests assess students on multiple linguistic areas and allow the school to reliably gauge their communicative abilities. A placement test is administered before enrolment into the respective level of study. Students will be tested on writing and reading skills as well as grammatical knowledge at an authorized representative centre. An interview with the student will also be conducted to test student’s oral and listening skills, through either video conferencing, teleconferencing, other media, or face to face. Student will be informed after the above tests are completed and finalized which level they qualify.

Minimum Language Requirement

CEFR Score

EPT Score

IELTS Band

Preparatory English Entry Requirements

*Estimated duration
of study including
term break

A1

<30

<2.0

Beginner

8 Weeks

A1 - A2

30 - 39

2.0 - 3.0

Elementary

8 Weeks

A2 - B1

40 - 49

3.0 - 4.0

Pre-Intermediate

8 Weeks

B1 - B2

50 - 64

4.0 - 5.0

Intermediate

8 Weeks

B2+

65 - 79

5.0 - 6.0

Upper-Intermediate

8 Weeks

C1

80 - 90

6.0 - 7.0

Advanced

8 Weeks

What will this qualification allow students to do?

Upon completion of our Preparatory Course in English, students will have the language skills they need to live, study, and work in any English-speaking environment.